Four major planets – Jupiter, Chiron, Uranus and Neptune change signs this year, indicating 2011 is going to be a year of deep and accelerated change.

Jupiter and Uranus change signs from Pisces to Aries, Jupiter on the 23 January and Uranus on the 13 March, whilst Chiron and Neptune move from Aquarius into Pisces on the 9th February and the 4th of April respectively.

Noteworthy too, and very much in keeping with the theme of accelerated change, is the fact that Jupiter, the good luck planet in pop astrology, that also rules over religion, philosophy and the higher mind, races through Aries in less than 6 months in 2011, which is less than half the full year it normally spends in a sign! Which is just what it will do when it enters Taurus on 4th June where it will stay until 12th June 2012.

The pace of life will especially quicken and intensify though when Uranus, the planet of freedom, individualism and technological innovation joins Jupiter in Aries from mid-March onwards. Some will no doubt be moved to cry ‘stop the world I want to get off’, but wiser heads [Aries rules the head in the body] will get with the program and choose to align with the new wave of fiery Aries energy that is about to sweep the planet.

We can confidently expect breakthrough solutions to previously intractable problems when Jupiterian optimism and Uranian revolutionary thinking is infused with Aries drive and enthusiasm. Together they will provide the irresistible momentum to blast through the forces of inertia and resistance currently holding back a wave of much needed change. The time is now ripe to generate new ideas and action plans to be put into motion through March, April and May, and consolidated thereafter during Jupiter’s sojourn in earth sign Taurus.

Finally, the ingress of Chiron the wounded healer, and Neptune the planet of oceanic love and unity consciousness into Pisces from Aquarius will correlate with a shift from lofty humanitarian idealism to deeply felt compassionate responses on the subjective individual level to all the trials and tribulations that we spiritual beings must inevitably face whilst having a human experience. The Dalai Lama’s oft-quoted ‘kindness is my religion’ may well sum up the spirit of the times.